Trinamool MLA Shilbhadra Dutta quits, third exit in 2 days

New Delhi, Dec 18: Trinamool Congress Barrackpore MLA Shilbhadra Dutta has quit this morning in the third exit in two days.

Dutta, a two-term MLA, said he has sent the resignation letter to Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee by email, triggering speculations that he may join a long list of party leaders who have either joined the BJP or is willing to ahead of the assembly elections, likely in March-April.

"I think that I am unfit in the party in the present scenario. But, I will not resign as an MLA," he told reporters.

"Why should I resign as an MLA? I have won by people's votes. If I go (resign) away, where will they go?" he added.

Over the last few months, Dutta has been vocal about his opposition to election strategist Prashant Kishor and the way he was handling party affairs.

Dutta, once a Mukul Roy loyalist when the BJP leader was in Trinamool Congress, has also spoken against a section of the party''s leadership.

Hours after Trinamool Congress heavyweight Suvendu Adhikari resigned from the party's primary membership, many dissident leaders and activists started stepping down from their respective party posts in West Bengal.

On Thursday, Jitendra Tiwari, resigned from the TMC. The two are among a host of TMC leaders who are allegedly in touch with the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and are likely to join it in the next few days.

Adhikari is expected to join the BJP on Saturday during Union home minister Amit Shah visits the poll-bound state.